


Singing Moonlight

by Milana16



Category: TsukiPro the Animation
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Gen, How To Make a Pack With Your Male Mate: A textbook by Izumi Shu, M/M, Pack Family, Quell as wolves, Quell fluff but there are werewolves more or less, Solids make brief appearance, if there's Quell vampire au you've gotta make an werewolf one too, it's only that, just kidding, not like I wanted to write Issei and IChiru as puppies Eichi can dote on, or am I?, really - Freeform, totally not it, we're all about equal representation of magical creatures in here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-16 04:28:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29201346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Milana16/pseuds/Milana16
Summary: During the time they lived together, he's brought Eichi many things. Which was kind of natural, he was the one responsible for hunting, Eichi disliked it, and was great at his job, like gathering and processing things to help everyone, so. Shu was fine with bringing his catch home for them to share.Bringing two shivering pups was a first, but.Eichi doesn't seem to mind?
Relationships: Horimiya Eichi & Izumi Shuu & Kuga Ichiru & Kuga Issei, Horimiya Eichi/Izumi Shuu
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	Singing Moonlight

**Author's Note:**

> Less music, more family feels, and seriously, they're too wholesome for this world. Any world, really.

The furballs are shivering.

Shu stops, just observing the unusual picture.

They’re in the middle of the forest, where even human hunters do not go, unless they have a guide. Even then, with this size, you could be hunted, and it seemed the object of his interest knew it. The two bundles of thick black fur, still fluffy with pup’s hide, softer than an adult’s coat, seemed to crawl under the thick bushes that gave them protection from airborne hunters, but had not enough energy to dig into thicket properly, to get also protection from land predators. Then, they just curled next to each other and waited.

Shu slowly approaches. The bundles smell like wet fur and weakness, but there’s undertone of something terribly familiar about it underneath, and he comes to the realization, that he won’t be able to leave those puppies alone, and not only because they weren’t really _only_ puppies.

The one on the right jerks his head up. This body isn’t developed enough to form a proper growl yet, but Shu gets the quiet grumble was meant to be a warning. Not to get close. Not to try and pick at them. Not to hurt the other.

He’s more concerned with the fact that the second pup doesn’t even raise his head in answer to his - brother, perhaps?- warning, just shivering more intensely. He also didn’t smell completely healthy, but there was also no scent of blood, so at least he can exclude an injury.

He lets his tail waggle even as he continues to approach them. Because really, he cannot leave two puppies out in the rainy forest, at night, alone, and probably sick on top of that.

Oh, and also, probably not being a hundred percent wolf puppies, but about that, he would have to wait until next full moon to get a confirmation. With a wolf body of the maybe a two month old pups, there was no way they were strong enough yet to force their body into a shift without that additional impulse from the moonlight.

Now, to figure out what was wrong with them... Shu smells around the two, as close as the healthy one allows, but the scent of rain prevents him from figuring anything out.

Which means he needs to get them to somebody who could, and he feels wave of warmth, as well as guilt overcoming him at the thought. Even though Eichi assured him he was pulling his weight just fine, it has been only few short months since they moved in together, and barely a year since they’ve met each other. Even if Shu has his nose to confirm for him that yes, Eichi was his mate, his perfect match, Eichi acted mostly upon instinct and good will in their relationship. His kindness was what surprised him time and over again, the tenderness he hasn’t known, raised by wonderful, but somewhat restrained in the feelings department, hunters like his mother’s sister and then his practically half-brother Shiki.

The sick one whines, the cadence a very specific in tone, and the healthy pup turns to snuggle closer to his brother. Shu looks at all that, and realizes.

If _he,_ the hunter raised to respect the law of the power and weakness, wants to help those two, Eichi would probably never forgive him if he left those two alone.

And that makes up his mind.

Picking up just one pup instantly earns him a frantic reaction, also instantly proving even the healthy one is too weak to walk with him all the way to Eichi’s home. Shu lets the two snuggle after he releases the neck of the sick pup out of his jaws - the pup reacted first when he was separated from his brother, so Shu was sure he was doing it right, not hurting the pup by accident. He looks at two furballs, now eyeing him suspiciously. Separating them was out of question, but in this form he could carry only one of them...

Which meant it was not the form he should take for the task.

Shu has once wondered how do those without an option manage to live. Shiki just huffed, ruffling his hair, while Eichi laughed.

‘We befriend those who can choose. It works, too!’

Now, letting his body grow and his fur to disappear, Shu manages to smile. Yes, it worked very well.

Pups stare at him distrustfully, and Shu kneels next to them. He’s left the tail and the ears to let them have a reference point to read his intentions from, because he won’t be coming really close to the village and nobody should notice him. Those who will know of him anyway...

‘It’s okay, you two.’ he says gently, and their ears - both of them, actually - twitch at the new sound. Shu smiles. ‘This is this form’s speech. Although it might be a while for you to change into it.’

He reaches his hands out and the healthy one bares his teeth. They wouldn’t do much damage to him, but Shu stops anyway.

‘I won’t hurt you.’ he repeats the assurances he’s made in his wolf form. ‘This is so you don’t have to separate.’

Slowly, the fangs disappear, although that distrustful glint is still there. Shu smiles.

‘Don’t be scared.’ he says softly, and the pup huffs. ‘I promise it will be okay. There’s someone who can help you. Okay?’

 _He’s definitely helped me and many others_ , he doesn’t add, because the sick one nudges his brother and both pups show him their necks.

‘Thank you.’ he says, even as he once more reaches out and gathers them into his arms, before standing on two legs. Their fur is cold against his chest, but shivering subdues a little.

Shu turns and makes his way back.

Since nothing would come out of his hunt tonight anyway, he asks.

‘Where’s your pack?’

There’s nobody there to be surprised about naked human talking with puppies in his arms, thankfully.

The bundle in his arms grumble, and Shu pauses for a half a step.

‘I see, so you’re like me. I’m sorry.’

He was not accepted in his mother’s pack, despite all of them being weres. He could do things they couldn’t, like naturally change shapes practically since the get go, and at the same time, couldn’t do things they could. His mother became an outcast for him, and when the fate of those sharing one of their forms with the wolves befell her, her sister took over, for as long as she could manage, but not for as long as a half-human child needed. She also was aware of that, and that’s why she left him with Shiki.

In the end, lack of pack worked out for him, but.

This didn’t change that he felt even more overprotective of the two lives in his arms. One that whines weakly in question.

‘I grew up with good brother figure, so it was fine.’ he answers the question, before asking his own. ‘You two are brothers?’

Annoyed yap. Shu chuckles, carefully changing his hold as he climbs over some hill.

‘True, it was obvious. Sorry.’ he pauses, as he hears a distant howl. ‘Shiki and Rikka got a big one, huh.’

He continues on his walk. Now that he thinks, it was funny - he finds the pups, and his brother figure’s partner proclaims a big catch...

Shiver intensifies, and Shu instinctively secures his grasp.

‘It’s alright, we’re almost there. The scents might be a bit overwhelming, but bear with it for a bit, please.’ he reassures the two, before bending forward. Then, the thick bushes open and he finally is at his destination.

The hut is minimally bigger than the one his aunt brought him to four years ago - Eichi preemptively build his future home to be able to store large amounts of herbs and other foliage he would gather. It turned out a bit too big for him, as he shyly admitted to Shu some four months ago, and definitely capable of fitting another inhabitant, as he assured him a month after that.

Resulting in them living together for the last quarter of year, and finding it quite a pleasant experience, Shu hoped on both sides. He enters the hut.

The fireplace in the middle is already neatly spread to just provide some heat and embers come morning, but that’s just a small drawback; he mostly sees through his nose anyway, and besides, he knows every thing that's inside of Eichi’s hut, no matter how chaotic it might seem from outsider’s perspective.

‘Shu...you’re early...or is it late?’ comes sleepy voice from the lump in the corner, away from the door, and pups in his hands stiffen, instantly sensing not-one-of-their-kind.

Shu just smiles.

‘Sorry for waking you up, Eichi. I had... a meeting, and had to finish hunt early.’

‘You’re not hurt?’ the voice lacks any sleepiness now, fully alert and ready to provide help. Usually, when Shu returned early, it meant a small run-in with a bear or boar hunt gone wrong, so he probably had a reason for that...

‘I’m fine. But, yes... I might still need your help. Well, not me, but... well, see for yourself.’

He pulls the brightest fur they have in the hut before setting the pups down. The healthy one instantly shakes himself off of the droplets of water, but the other one just lays down with a pitiful sigh. His brother whines, nudging him.

‘Shu? Those are...?’

Admittedly, he can understand the bafflement Eichi feels. He usually brought an already dead catch... not that the two were catch in the first place.

‘They were alone in the forest, one of them, I think he is sick. I... I couldn’t leave them. Sorry.’ he admits sheepishly, fully aware he is, in fact, bringing additional responsibilities to Eichi. Still...

‘First, wipe yourself off.’ he has a dry cloth pushed into his hands, green eyes shining in the darkness. Then Eichi looks down at the two wet pups. ‘And help them dry off. I’ll restart the fire.’

Ah, there it was. The reason he fell completely, and almost mindlessly in love with this man; Eichi’s unquestionable need to help others, regardless of their race. He still remembers like today, the day Eichi has learned Shu wasn’t a human when he changed to protect them from the feral boar, and his first question being if Shu doesn’t need to have his wound treated...

The furball under his hand whines with confusion. Shu smiles.

‘It’s okay. He’s a friend.’ he looks over his back at the human working with embers and the wood prepared for morning fire. ‘Much more, to me, but for now. A friend.’

He finishes wiping them more or less dry at the same moment as Eichi hisses with satisfaction and Shu feels warmth at his back. The fire cast bright shine on the cluttered interior of the hut and disappeared in the obsydian darkness of the fur of two pups.

‘Alright, Shu, let me see them.’ Eichi comes to his side, and pups curl closer together. Eichi looks at them in curiosity. ‘Hello there~ ah, they _are_ like you, right?’

‘More like Rikka.’ Shu admits. ‘I’m not a purebred, remember? I’ve told you.’

‘I still can’t believe nobody questioned a giant dog suddenly living with Shiki-san.’

Shu chuckles.

‘They had to accept him saying he picked a teenager up in the forest first. I guess taming a wolf wasn’t nearly as surprising.’

Eichi chuckles with him, even as his fingers stroke through the pups’ fur without fear or hesitation. Shu suddenly feels glad about Eichi asking to learn about his canine anatomy to be able to help, just in case he was stuck in wolf form...

‘I don’t... think you’ve eaten anything poisonous.’ he says, and the healthy twin whines in response. Shu translates, unable to hold back his concern.

‘They haven’t eaten for the past two moo... I mean, days.’ he says, and Eichi ‘oh’s, before his hands pet both pups.

‘Then it explains a lot.’ he answers and there’s a cheerful smile as he bends down to be as close to the same level as pups’ faces as possible. ‘You’ve collapsed out of exhaustion~ Once you get to rest a bit, anything else that was going on for you should get better as well. For now... Shu, do we have spare furs? Until they’re completely dry, I want them covered and resting.’

‘Got it. Eichi?’ he looks questioningly at the human, wondering about his next move.

‘I’ll make something simple to eat.’ he looks at the pups, considering. ‘You won’t be used to any vegetables just yet, so for now boiled meat will have to suffice.’

Rather than boiled meat, it was meat pulp, Shu realized moments later, but, true to Eichi’s prediction, the pups did manage to eat it. More, once the shivering subsided, they almost devoured it on their own, and instinctive part of Shu settles down.

Wolves with appetite don’t die.

After dinner - or was it super early breakfast - they’re much more calm, especially since the healthy one came to the same conclusion as Shu, that his brother won’t die if he’s able to chew on his own. This allows Shu to ask the question he probably should’ve started with.

‘What’s your names again?’ he asks gently. ‘I’m... in this language I’m Shu.’

‘And I’m Eichi, though I’m not sure what concept fits it in the other language you use.’ Eichi adds, sitting next to him. In the meanwhile, they somehow managed to create quite comfy nest from furs and settle it close to the fire. Pups still choose to curl next to each other, but Shu finally felt it was a choice, not necessity.

Brothers murmur quietly between themselves for a while, before the healthier one doesn’t yap decisively. The other follows, and Shu notices he still sounds more timid than his counterpart.

‘I see.’ he crosses his arms in thought and hums, while Eichi awaits his translation. ‘Those are very good names, and I’m not sure I’ll be able to translate them well, but... Issei.’

He points at the timid one.

‘And then Ichiru. That would make you the younger one?’ he asks, and pup’s tail waggles once in agreement, as he snuggles up to his brother. Issei nuzzles back.

‘Who named you? Those are very good and very pretty names.’

Ichiru grumbles, and Shu ‘oh’s softly.

‘I see. But that means this pack cared enough to name you.’ he says gently, and pup grumbles.

‘What’s the matter?’ Eichi asks, and Shu translates.

‘They weren’t named per se; there was a wolves’ pack they stayed with for a while, and they used what those wolves called them to create the names.’

‘Wolves and weres don’t usually mingle, right?’ Eichi blinks. ‘Though, I guess they usually don’t also mingle with humans and look where we are...’

‘You mean where I am.’ Shu says, and there’s questioning whine. He turns to the fur bundle in front of him. ‘I’m only half of what you are. The other half is like Eichi.’

Another whine, and Shu chuckles, a bit sheepish.

‘You... could probably say that?’

‘What did... Issei, right? What did he say?’

‘He asked if we’re a pack.’ Shu admits slowly. ‘It’s like...’

‘A family, right?’ Eichi fills in with a smile. ‘Do you want to be a pack, Shu?’

_„I want to be mates, actually.”_

‘Yes. If possible. Please.’ he answers instead, and Eichi chuckles.

Suddenly, Shu notices that the blush on human’s face isn’t only just because of the proximity of the flame.

‘I’m glad.’ he admits softly, and Shu’s heart howls with happiness.

Yes, his hunt also ended in a big catch...

*

The pups are just like Shu predicted and Eichi confirmed - weakened, too much to actually take on another shape, even if Ichiru does try to do it, and ends up almost succeeding, before giving up at humanoid form with ears and tail. He collapses after a short while of sustaining it, too, but he still provides enough info to Eichi to know what to expect, once the fullmoon comes in two weeks.

‘We’re almost the same.’ younger were grumbles, and Eichi blinks.

‘Even in that form?’ he asks, motioning to Ichiru’s more or less humanoid body. It looked barely ten, which Shu has already warned him of - age of human body took longer to catch up to the wolf, and Issei and Ichiru were practically children in either.

Ichiru confirms.

‘Wolves said we also smell almost the same.’ he grumbles. ‘Even though we’re our own people.'

Issei huffs in agreement from his lap, and Eichi smiles.

‘I definitely can see that.’ he looks at the wolf pup and the child cuddling him gently. ‘For now, why you don’t return to your other form? It’s exhausting keeping up this one, isn’t it?’

Ichiru looks in surprise at him.

‘But, you...’

Eichi grins reassuringly.

‘I’ll be okay! I’ll keep guessing what you want to tell until Shu comes back, and then, I’ll just ask him to translate instead! You resting well comes first.’

Issei huffs.

‘Why?’ Ichiru translates the question, but Eichi still blinks in confusion. Ichiru elaborates. ‘Why help us? Both you and Shu.’

‘Isn’t that natural?’ Eichi asks, bemused. ‘You’re younger. And in need of help. Who wouldn’t help you?’

‘I know quite a lot of those.’ Ichiru mumbles, and Eichi smiles gently in understanding.

‘But me and Shu are not one of those.’ he says, making sure to look at both Ichiru and Issei. ‘So you don’t have to worry about that, okay?’

He pets both of them.

‘E-chi, I’m not- this form isn’t for petting!’ Ichiru whines, face red, and Eichi chuckles.

‘Then change back? As Shu has told you previously, you need to gather strength for the full moon.’ he says, and Ichiru grumbles.

‘Turn around.’ he asks. ‘You do for Shu.’

‘But I’m curious!’

‘Don’t be curious for stuff like this!’

Issei yawns, relaxed.

It was safe.

*

Even when another human, clearly hunter, visited, it didn’t stop being any less safe. Issei is foggily aware he asks Eichi about minding their presence, and Eichi is just as baffled as when he was giving his answer to Ichiru. Older pup is comfortable just snuggling with his brother and drifting off to sleep, even as the giant - from his perspective - white-pink wolf sniffs at them curiously. He doesn’t seem to try and overwrite Shu’s territory, just a polite visitor to it, so.

It was fine.

*

Full moon comes, and finally, both of them take on humanoid forms, and Eichi is more awed than weirded out. This, too, makes him different than any other being they’ve met so far.

‘You really do look alike!’ he exclaims, looking from Issei to Ichiru. ‘Just like human twins!’

‘Twins?’ they chorus, Shu has used similar word before.

‘It’s a word for when children are born together.’ Eichi explains. ‘It doesn’t happen for humans that much, so it is named in a special way.’

He looks down at the golden wolf, sitting at his side, and looking at the boys in front of himself with something Issei easily could read as affection.

‘It doesn’t happen that much with weres, either, right?’ he asks, and Shu huffs in negative. ‘I figured!’

Issei blinks.

‘You understood Shu just now?’

Eichi grins.

‘Not as much as if we were both in this form, but I kind of can guess what he means~’

‘E-chi, you’re kind of awesome?’ Ichiru says, and is answered with a huff of agreement from Shu. Eichi makes a face at both of them.

And Issei chuckles.

‘Can we stay with you?’ he asks, once he calms down, and Eichi blinks.

‘Is that even a question now?’

It should be, Issei thinks, even as his tail unconsciously starts waggling behind him - even with full moon to help them, a form completely like Eichi’s was still out of their reach. But, well.

He guesses it’s not a question, for Eichi.

*

After the full moon, Shu agrees to take them with him, to help out with the hunt. Paradoxically, even though Eichi used his nose for finding herbs, it only made Shu more sensitive to the traces left by their prey. He teaches them what he himself was taught before, slowly but steadily. Gradually, they go out more, for longer, and with either of the adults. Eichi teaches them about herbs, and they even figure out how to transport them in their canine forms (although Issei wonders if a wolf pup with a bunch of green grass-like plants in its jaws doesn’t look ridiculous, but oh well - Eichi’s eyes shine every time they get it right, so, it’s fine).

Unfortunately, it isn’t all happiness and rainbows for them, even if the adults try to make it just that.

Issei becomes aware of it when one day, Shu orders them to stay back, while he himself goes on to investigate some unnerving signs on their hunting grounds, a week or so after their second fullmoon with the two.

They’ve learned to obey Shu - while gentle, it left no doubt he was also the strongest out of the four of them. While he was still incredibly careful with his play wrestling with both twins and Eichi, he almost always came out on top of both the pups and his human peer, with rare exceptions when Eichi managed to somehow distract him - Issei still searched for the way human did it, but he suspected more and more that it was a technique out of his or Ichiru’s reach. Then, the wolf was also a major bread- well, meat winner, and while he and Eichi distributed the work around skinning and butchering his preys equally, it was obvious he was the man responsible for providing a game in the first place.

Still, it wasn’t hard to listen to Shu - despite his power, he used it mostly for providing and supporting, and his orders, if he gave any, sounded more like requests, spoken out of the concern for their well-being.

Some unconscious part of Issei wished for Shu to be their Alpha since the very start, but. He usually pushed those thoughts aside - Shu was their Alpha now, he protected him and Ichiru, and that was what counted the most, right?

He’s shaken out of his musings by the unusual rustle near their hiding spot. They stiffen; Shu would’ve called out to them already...

And they’re right, the newcomer isn’t Shu.

He’s big, possibly even bigger than Shu, brown, and with fur so tangled it could probably pass for an armor. Issei unconsciously shuffles closer to Ichiru.

It’s not the friendly were from his recovery period, neither it’s Shu’s relative that they can hear howling from faraway from time to time, checking on their Alpha. It’s a male, a hunter, a fighter. And it’s definitely not friendly, if his body language is anything to go by.

And he’s now sniffling, head turning in their direction, and Issei’s muscles tense. If they bolt at the same time, maybe they will manage to confuse the attacker enough to get away... because their voices are still too weak to alert Shu, not to mention, from this close up, it would do very little to their safety, no matter how quick Shu could run...

There’s a distant howl, a question to their Alpha, and the invader stops, ears twitching. Issei decides it’s the best moment to run; with the way the wind was blowing, uncovering them was a matter of moments, anyway...

They bolt in opposite directions, and at first, their attacker reacts like Issei has hoped - by backing away, and checking on one, then the other pup in surprise.

And then he chooses to go after Ichiru, and Issei has never pivoted so quick in his life.

They are younger, weaker, less experienced. The only thing they can count on is the fact they might be more mobile, and that there’s two of them, now that the element of surprise failed and the wolf didn’t turn out to be benevolent visitor.

He bites into the attacker’s hind leg at the same time he hears a startled yelp of Ichiru, who’s been caught up to. Older wolf howls, pivoting in place, and Issei lets go to slip under bigger wolf’s belly to Ichiru’s side. His brother doesn’t seem to be seriously hurt, but now, it turns out even in terms of mobility, they aren’t that much better than their opponent...

They jump back and once again run in opposite directions when the wolf turns to them with the growl, and this time, bigger attacker chooses Issei as his target. He can hear Ichiru’s warning yap, and lets himself fall to the ground.

Bigger body flies over him, but Issei doesn’t stop to check on the result of his maneuver; he needs to get back up, back to Ichiru, so that neither of them is spotted alone...

He’s literally hurled to the side, hitting a boulder just next to their previous hiding spot. Ichiru whines in absolute distress, very close by.

Turns out, the wolf choose to just barrage into him, instead of trying to catch him under his paw or with his teeth like before. Issei still feels a bit confused when he raises to his feet, only to see Ichiru putting himself between the attacker and him with a weak growl. Their attacker responds with baring of his fangs, and menacing step forward.

And then freezes, as there’s a sound of dash somewhere behind the pups, and seconds later, Shu’s canine form lands between them and the foreign wolf, and Issei almost collapses on his feet.

_Their Alpha came._

Their attacker huffs a message of not disturbing him, but Shu answers with his own; golden fur fluffs out, tail stiffens, hackles stand up, and Shu bares his fangs in a low, but very audible growl.

_Do not touch my pack._

He looks bigger than he is, like that, but even that might probably not be enough, because the opponent also bares his teeth-

And there’s a sudden, distant but demanding howl somewhere behind that attacker. Simultaneously, Issei becomes aware of slightly closer, human call.

‘Isse! Icchi! Shu!’

The wolf in front of them growls with frustration, before pivoting and diving into bushes again. Shu follows him for few steps on the stiff legs, but when he confirm attacker's disappearance, he turns back to the twins.

Issei is faintly aware that Shu has finished the check ups at the same time Eichi has managed to find them, following soft call of Shu.

Part of his brain is impressed with Eichi’s ability to understand his Alpha even when he is in other species’ form.

Other part of Issei wants to just sleep.

Human falls to his knees next to the pups.

‘What happened?’ he asks tensely, even as his fingers gently card through Issei’s and Ichiru’s fur.

‘An invader.’ Shu answers, and it is in human speech, meaning Shu has changed, meaning he deemed it safe, meaning Issei can finally loose consciousness.

So he does just that.

*

He comes to already back in their lai- hut, he means, in the nest of furs, Ichiru at his side, and Shu curled behind them, his head lying on Eichi’s lap, human hands gently stroking canine’s fur.

‘Issei, you woke up?’ Eichi asks gently, and he raises his head sloppily - he’s so sleepy... ‘It’s okay, don’t strain yourself. Do you want to eat-’

He grumbles, and Eichi chuckles softly.

‘Alright then. Go back to sleep, you have to regenerate.’

And Issei does. Because like that, it’s safe.

Shu watches the pup until younger wolf's breathing doesn’t even out, and he and Ichiru snuggle back together, before raising head. Eichi pats him back down.

‘You need to sleep, too, Shu. In the morning, you want to warn Shiki-san, right?’ he says gently. ‘I can keep watch.’

In answer, Shu once again raises his head, this time licking Eichi’s chin shortly. This form restrained his ability of expressing affection, but...

Eichi sighs gently, hand embracing Shu’s neck.

‘I know, I love you, too.’

It didn’t matter which form it was, Eichi would understand him anyway.

‘I’m glad it ended up only with few bruises.’ human whispers, and Shu gently noses at him. ‘I didn’t do much, though. It’s more thanks to you.’

Shu huffs softly, and Eichi smiles.

‘Alpha or not, you protected us.’ he presses face into Shu’s fur. ‘Thank you, Shu.’

Shu can only lick him again.

*

Shiki comes to warn them first, and so, Shu doesn’t have to leave them alone, sans for the short hunting trip, from which he returns with two rabbits - they came empty-handed at night, after all.

He still seems to be worried, though.

‘Eichi.’ he starts during their meal, Issei and Ichiru raising their heads from above the bowl. ‘I know it might be hard to arrange, but. Do you think you can stop going out on your own?’

Eichi hums, chewing on the bread in his mout.

‘What is your definition of „not alone”?’ he finally asks, ‘Because if I have to keep you close, it will be impossible, frankly speaking, not to mind, quite binding for you.’

Shu nods his head reluctantly.

‘Ideally, it would be the solution, but... alright. ‘he sighs. ‘I don’t want any of you going out alone. I don’t know if the pair will do more to discourage the attacks, but at least there will be somebody that will be able to call help.’

‘I see.’ Eichi muses, before looking at all three of them. ‘In that case: want to learn even more about herbs and other plants?’

Issei tilts his head curiously. Really, only Eichi can change restraining of his freedom into opportunity to teach somebody something new.

So, obviously, he yaps in agreement, and adults smile.

‘We’ll start tomorrow, then!’ Eichi announces.

The advantages of that agreement include also the fact they can keep the human form with tail and ears. It doesn’t bother Eichi, and they don’t need the agility of the canine form like for huntings. Oh, and other people aren’t spooked by the monsters in human form, or whatever it is they call werewolves.

Shu tags along whenever he can - he’s now the lone hunter in their pack, deciding to suspend Issei and Ichiru’s lessons, but his efforts, coupled with Eichi’s knowledge of edibles, causes their reserves to grow all the same. And, since they aren’t restrained by their health and form anymore, twins also learn how to help with butchering and tanning the prey.

And then Shiki brings his new packmates over for introduction, and their ban on learning hunting is lifted. And Ichiru gains an adult counterpart. Tsubasa has no problems with indulging the younger wolf in childish brawls, and Issei looks with slight confusion at somebody else playing with his brother.

They made for a surprisingly cute view.

Big blue wolf sits next to him, and Issei looks up curiously. Dai was the closest in age to them, but both his forms were already bigger than theirs. Even though they recently had their growth spurt...

Older wolf nudges him questioningly, and Issei huffs.

Actually...

They fall into the middle of the knot Tsubasa and Ichiru changed into, multiplying yelping and yapping, but, by the time Rikka and Shu intervene, stopping their playtime, Issei feels he has a good grasp on what the newcomers are like.

‘They’re not bad people, Shu.’ he says this evening, at dinner. ‘Shiki-san has chosen a good pack for himself.’

Shu chuckles.

‘So, that’s why you went along with Dai.’

Issei blinks.

‘Shouldn’t I?’

‘Not really, but warn me next time.’ Ichiru grumbles. ‘And what was that, suddenly pairing me with this guy!’

Issei smiles.

‘You’ve worked pretty well with Tsubasa-san...’

‘No, I did not!’

‘You two, eat.’ Shu urges them with a smile. ‘We’re restarting lessons today, remember?’

‘That’s right!’ twins turn back to their plates, before Ichiru stills, looking at Eichi.

'E-chi?'

Human wakes up, and smiles sheepishly at them.

'I'm fine, I'm fine!' he hesitates.'I was just wondering what can I do not to hold you back? In the last problem, I all but hindered your work, now you're going to provide us, and I'm going to stay behind, like previously... I don't like to be a burden.’

‘Eichi...’ Issei lowers his spoon. ‘But, you’ve never been? Opposite to us...’

‘Issei!’ Ichiru whines, before adding quieter, ‘Though, it’s not like it’s not true.’

‘Okay, none of you should go in that direction.’ Shu speaks up before Eichi manages to open his mouth to protest. ‘ Pack isn’t made of just one individual.’

He looks at Ichiru.

‘It needs someone to be the youngest, and the most energetic one, to share the enthusiasm with others.’ he smiles, moving his eyes onto Issei. ‘It needs somebody curious to push boundaries with the questions and ideas.’

Eichi feels melting, because when Shu looks at him, his eyes burn with something warm and passionate.

‘And it needs someone to even start it, and then keep it together.’ he says warmly. ‘Providing is just a small part of pack duties, so. Neither of you should feel lesser for not doing that, okay?’

‘Shu, you’re a smooth talker.’ Issei says slowly, and Shu chuckles, moving his bowl aside.

‘I guess a pack needs somebody like that as well.’ he looks at Eichi. ‘But, well, there’s that other thing that’s also needed. And since Eichi is not convinced yet, I guess we all need to provide it.’

Twins grin, and Eichi blinks, but before he’s capable of reacting, he has a pile of black and gold bodies tackling him. Twins are still smaller than Shu, but they’re twice as affectionate, and all three wolves feel very adamant about showing their affection, nuzzling and licking him.

‘Shu! Isse, Icchi, no fair!’ but, he laughs, even buried under all that fur, feeling as that until now unspoken sense of guilt, sense of not doing enough, is washe- well, licked away.

Even in that form, Shu is careful not to hurt them, and he soon moves away, and drags Issei and Ichiru off of him, finally allowing Eichi to sit up. He gets his revenge, wrapping his arms around necks of the three canines and pulling them close to himself.

‘I love you guys.’ he utters softly.

Three tails waggle simultaneously.

*

‘Shu, do you really think it’s alright?’

They are taking a walk, using a moment when the twins got knocked out from the hunting training at night and then the morning playtime they made for themselves, not feeling sleepy enough just yet. Once their batteries ran out, though, Shu and Eichi ended up carrying two adolescent wolves - their canine forms grew faster than human ones; on two legs Issei and Ichiru were still pretty much children - back into Eichi’s hut and onto the bedding. They seemed content to just wrap around each other and snore like that, as the black bundle of fur, so Shu proposed the walk.

Were now hums.

‘If you mean the talk from yesterday, then that’s more than fine.’ he answers, squeezing Eichi’s hand he refused to let go of. ‘You’ve made this pack, Eichi. Without you, neither me, nor the twins would have family.'

‘You know that’s not true, you would still have Shiki-san.’ Eichi protests, then meeks out. ‘Though the boys...’

‘Brothers rarely stay together, especially just sworn brothers like me and Shiki, and especially when older starts forming a pack.’ Shu answers with a shake of his head. ‘Even if I doubt Issei and Ichiru will separate, but. They’re special like that.’

They both smile, before Shu sighs.

‘I would leave Shiki soon, even if you didn’t ask me to come and live with you.’ he admits in the face of shocked Eichi. ‘I knew what he would become with Rikka. I’d definitely would leave by the time Tsubasa and Dai came. Even if they are friendly towards me, even if Rikka didn’t want to usurp my place. We’re part wolves. I wouldn’t feel alright intruding on their pack.’

He looks at Eichi, and human once more sees that warm passion in blue eyes.

‘But then, you invited me to your pack, even if you really wasn’t aware at the time, and I promised myself I won’t anything bad happen to you. So that you never have to regret your choice.’ he confesses softly. ‘But, you’ve made it be so much more than just gratitude, and then you’ve so readily accepted twins, without even asking, or complaining, and I- I guess that’s what humans call falling in love, but, if I did it when we first met, and then I just kept doing it over and over, with every little thing you gave me, then us, are all those times still falling in love? Can you fall in love multiple times, with one person?’

‘Shu...’ ah. The warm passion was the same as the heat he felt for as long as they lived together. Eichi chuckles.

Even though that wasn’t the first time they talk about those things... it was nice to get reaffirmation. Not that Shu didn't reaffirm his stance constantly, but...

‘I think it’s called being in love.’ he finally answers, tugging at Shu to come closer, and leaning in. ‘At least, I know I am.’

Shu blinks, before also leaning in, arms raising to embrace man in front of himself. They postponed exploring that part of their new status when twins came into picture, but...

Well, it was definitely not a thing of the past, that feeling.

‘Eichi. I’m about to request something very selfish, and probably very animalistic.’

Eichi leans more fully into the embrace, before smiling gently.

‘Go ahead.’

**Author's Note:**

> I had to shorten this stuff, because original action was getting a tad bit too long for a one-shot (twins were supposed to encounter slightly biased villagers, I even have a bit written for it. Oh, well, maybe another part, one day?), so if it looks like the last part took a turn in the direction it wasn't supposed to, it's because of that. Well, technically, since I did plan to end this story with a Shuei talk from the start, I just didn't knew it would be taking-it-to-the-next-level talk... Thanks to the "after the kids have fallen asleep" song I can't help but write them as those soft secret lovers exchanging whispered affections and all this stuff progressing naturally for them in the most vanilla way possible lol.  
> Anyway, a lot of Issei's musings about alphas, and packs, and Shu being their Alpha comes from natural wolves behavior where the "pack" is basically a family structure, not a power structure like most of fantasy makes it to be. "Alphas" are basically parents, and the whole "power dominance" thing assigned to Alpha males is basically dad teaching his sons respect, lol. And since Issei and Ichiru are good boys...  
> Anyways, thanks for reading!


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